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HOD sh b'CHESED
Kabbalistic Sephirat HaOmer - day 5
PSALMS OF MY SOUL
ספירת העומר
Empathy in Friendship/Loving Kindness
- Joy Krauthammer
Furling or Unfurling?
Sago palm frond
© Joy Krauthammer 4.28.2016
These Omer Sephirot are important to me as I believe in today's humility, gratitude, splendor, and surely act in lovingkindness –this week’s Sephirah. I can be a whole lot better with a loved one.
Early this morning because an ill friend doesn’t use computer so she doesn’t see my photos, nor writing, I wrote on a purchased pretty card to this elderly friend recovering from cancer surgery. She has chosen not to have 'treatments' because she is "old and sick".
Hard for me to neatly handwrite when all I do is write on computer but I carefully took the time for each letter of every word covering the card’s inside with meaningful words. Not easy always to be a friend when the Friend is not her happier self. Hard to write words of healing love when the ill one is not sharing serene energy, but spewing the opposite. When I think about how badly I felt during and following her phone call, I realize that Friend is feeling much worse, and I lessen my feelings trying to reach balance. (Wasn't too easy because a person very important in my music life (and the world) died two days earlier and I've been writing condolence letters filled with photos, and today e-mailed another sympathy note to cousins because a dear cousin, Bruce, z"l, died a week ago today. I am sad.)
I wrote Friend that I am grateful for all that today is good. No pain for Friend today, etc. etc.
E-mailed the Friend's friend overseas to tune her in...
I guess this is the very same that I do for an older sister for the same reasons, snail mail and call, but she does not express heavy upset nor anger. Sister, too, is being cared for.
My Friend, z"l, succumbed to the cancer 3 months ago, 9 months after cancer surgery, one year ago at Pesach time. One day 3 months ago she waited for me to appear, and within minutes gave her neshamah back to the Holy One. I closed her eyes. I delivered the eulogy. I miss her and this year is the first in years that we didn't share Seder together. My heart is heavy. 2017
In the last year I have 'lost' a dozen friends and cousins...
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My Friend, z"l, succumbed to the cancer 3 months ago, 9 months after cancer surgery, one year ago at Pesach time. One day 3 months ago she waited for me to appear, and within minutes gave her neshamah back to the Holy One. I closed her eyes. I delivered the eulogy. I miss her and this year is the first in years that we didn't share Seder together. My heart is heavy. 2017
In the last year I have 'lost' a dozen friends and cousins...
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How do YOU express yourself in the energy of Hod sh b’Chesed?
Is the Sago frond tightly closing OR is the frond unfurling?
Where is the freedom? What is the freedom? How do we get there? What are we leaving?
How can our heart extend lovingkindness and share gratitude and splendor?
Furling or Unfurling?
Sago palm frond
© Joy Krauthammer 4.28.2016
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Kabbalistic Sephirat HaOmer - day 5
PSALMS OF MY SOUL
ספירת העומר
Empathy in Friendship/Loving Kindness
- Joy Krauthammer 2015
Empathy--Not usually how I think about Hod. Usually I think of gratitude and/or splendor.
Reaching this 5th Omer day, I called a friend whom I haven't spoken to in months. She doesn't return calls or e-mails, the same also for her other friends. I heard she is suffering yet another house malfunction and within a minute I called to share empathy within our friendship. Have no idea why she doesn't return calls to friends, but I can put that aside. I can put that aside for others also because they are involved in projects. I can still call and leave messages filled with greetings of friendship and info about events that would interest them.
With an older sister it is still harder. She basically never calls, wanting me to call... and she doesn't return calls although she wants to receive them... If I knew she was in trouble at this time, I would be constantly present, but I know that in some ways, her life is better now, so I don't need to call as I had in past. I'm also not sending the daily or weekly pretty and decorated snail-mail cards that I was sending to cheer her. Think I'll call now and again wish her a chag Pesach sameach, and see how her Seders have been.
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Should I answer a phone call to provide empathy in kindness (following similar calls), when I know the call is joyous, but it is disturbing me during my writing and art meditation. I can hear the message so I know I can answer or not.If I am not needed for Chesed and sympathy, I can be truthful to myself, and fully present if I do choose to answer when I can.
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PSALMS OF MY SOUL
EMPATHY IN FRIENDSHIP - day 5 HOD sh b'CHESED
Kabbalistic Sephirat HaOmer - day 5
PSALMS OF MY SOUL
I'd much rather be sharing with friends and family sweet flowers that in Hod/splendor I appreciate
and love to share in Chesed/lovingkindness.
Poppy, Edith's Garden
© Joy Krauthammer 4.22.2016
Poppies, Edith's Garden
© Joy Krauthammer 4.22.2016
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PSALMS OF MY SOUL
HOD sh b’CHESED ספירת העומר
Kabbalistic Sephirat HaOmer - day 5
Empathy in Friendship / Loving Kindness
- Joy Krauthammer
Another day of transitioning for my beloved friend Edith. Sharing my love and holding her hand and stroking her brow. Holding phone by her ear so my daughter may also share her love. Edith loves flowers in natural state growing in her garden; not creative details nor enhancement so here is a flower for first time in her garden, hoping it will bear fruit that she loves. Heart of flower extends tall and humble, attracting bees. White petals about 8" wide. I would take photos in the garden and show to Edith when she could no longer enter the garden.
Dragon Fruit flower night-blooming cereus Hylocereus undatus
Edith's Garden early morning. Flower lasts a few hours.
My friend has lasted 95 years minus a week, so far.
© Joy Krauthammer
In the spirit of Hod sh b’Chesed…
Opening wide in gratitude to Love and Kindness
I am mamash grateful for Edith having been in my life for at least a couple decades. I acknowledge and appreciate that Edith has included me in all her family and holiday celebrations. Edith invites me into her organic garden to enjoy and photograph produce and flowers, and into her pool to enjoy swimming in summer. Edith listens to me with my joy and tears. Edith has called me every morning for the last year to remind me to take my morning pills. Edith saves the weekly mail ads for me because my mailman doesn’t deliver them. Edith models for me for all the photo shoots where I need a model for photo group themes or offers her cat and garden and home for props. Edith has fun doing this and I always show her the photos and maybe share with her family. I’ve enjoyed bringing over meals for us to share in the garden and begin with prayers from both of us. Hummingbirds flutter overhead drinking from her many feeders, while pets, cat or dog were nearby. Our hearts have opened wide in all those moments and years. There has been so my goodness I have received in my friendship with Edith.
And yes, I too share my family with Edith, who also love her. They also love the fruit jam that she makes with family. At times my fruit, figs, are added to her mix and that makes me happy, but now she also has fig trees.
All photos/materials in sites by Joy Krauthammer are under copyright protection by © Joy Krauthammer.
Permission by Joy Krauthammer, needed to repost/copy/reprint/use. Request in Comments, FB, or write/call personally.
